Machine for



UNITED sraras rATENtr OFFICE.

E. W. SCOTT, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING MAST-HOOPS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 11,875, dated October 31, 1854.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELHANAN W. Soo'r'r, of Lowell, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulMachine for Planing or Rounding Mast-Hoops; and I do hereby declare thatthe same is fully, clearly, and exactly described and represented inthis specification and the annexed drawing, which makes part of thesame, the letters of which refer to like parts in the several figures.

A working machine should be four times as large as indicated by thedrawings.

Figure 1 of the said drawings denotes a plan; Fig. 2 a side elevation;Fig. 3 an end elevation; Fig. 4 denotes a longitudinal and verticalsection at A, B, Fig. 1.

The nature of my invention consists of a machine which is fully detailedhereafter, for the purpose of planing or rounding rived timber for masthoops and truss hoops, and at the same time follow the grain of the woodso that the said hoops can be steamed and bent, which will be understoodby persons acquainted with making the said article.

To enable persons skilled in the art of making and using mast and trusshoops to carry out my invention I will describe the same as follows.

I construct a frame of wood as seen at A, A, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 40f thedrawing, on the top of said frame I place four iron stands as seen at B,Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, for supporting the cutting heads and upper set offeed rolls.

At E, Figs. 1, 3, and 4, can be seen the front cutter shaft on which isplaced the cutter head 0, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the cutters on which areshown at 5 and 6.

At F, Figs. 1 and 4, is shown the back cutter shaft on the end of whichis placed the cutter head D, and the cutters on it are shown at 7, and8.

At G, Figs. 1 and 3, is shown the front upper feed roll shaft, and thefeed roll on it at I, Figs. 1, 3, and 4. At H Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, isshown the back upper feed roll shaft on which is placed the back feedroll J Figs. 1 and 2. At P Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, is seen a lever and onthe end of it I place a weight as seen at 1" Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. Thislever and weight is for the purpose of constantly pressing down the feedroll upon the hoop as it passes through the machine.

The cap of the feed roll shaft G near the roll I, is so fitted as toallow the said roll I to move up and down to accommodate itself to theunevenness of the piece of wood for the hoop.

At K, Figs. 3 and 4 can be seen the front and lower feed roll which isattached to the shaft W as seen at Figs. 3 and 4. This feed roll shaftis fitted to the ends of the levers M, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, at the outend of which is attached to an adjustable stay or guide as seen at 0,Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 for the purpose of setting the feed roll at anyrequired distance below the cutter head for different sized hoops. I

At L, Figs. 2 and 4, is seen the lower back feed roll which turns in theweighted levers N N, Figs. 1, 2, and 4; both of the lower feed rolls aredriven the right speed by gears as seen at Y, a, b, 2, Figs. 1, 2, and3, the gear a being driven by the belts and wheels 0, e, d, and frespectively.

At 71 Fig. 3 is seen the end of the movable and adjustable slide, towhich is attached the friction guide k, for properly guiding the hoopsidewise as it passes the first set of cutters.

At Q, Fig. 4 is seen a friction roll attached to the end of a spring forthe purpose of steadying the ends of the hoops after they pass the frontcutter head. I, place a roll as seen at S Figs. 1,3, and 4, which isattached to an adjustable slide so as to be set or varied for thedifferent sized hoops.

At R, u, and v, I place friction rolls which are pressed against thehoop by the springs j and a, on the front, and similar ones on the backof the machine for guiding and steadying the pieces for the hoops asthey pass through the said machine.

At Z, Figs. 1, 2, and 4, can be seen an adjustable stop, held in itsposition by the screw on, Figs. 1 and 4, for the purpose of preventingthe levers N from dropping too low when or after the hoop passesthrough.

The stock for the hoops should be rived and the bark taken off, then itshould be squared or roughed out by a side wheel then it is ready to berounded or planed.

I, operate my machine by introducing the piece of wood intended for thehoop between the friction guide S and spring guide T. I then press theend of the intended hoop (as seen in red lines at Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4,)between the feed rolls I and K, then the hoop roll 7 Fig. 3 as they arecarried forward by I is carried forward by the said feed rolls K and IFigs. 1, 3, and-4 and as it passes over the said roll K, the cutters onthe front cutter head shape or round one half of the hoop while it isfirmly held and carried along by the other half, by the said rolls I andK as seen at Fig. 4, then the hoop passes forward by the friction roll1", and between the second set of feed rolls L and J, Figs. 1, 2 and at,and the second half of the hoop is finished by the said cutter-head'Dand the hoops are guided sidewise by the friction the feed rolls Land'J, through the machine.

It will be understood that the first set of cutters and feed rollsfinish one half of the hoop, and that the second set of cutters and feedrolls finish the other half of the hoop and at the same time leave thehoop to take any irregular course or position, except when it passes theaforesaid feed rolls and cutters as then it is shaped. R

The object of this arrangement is for the purpose of allowing thecrooked wood as it is rived, to pass through and be rounded parallelwith the grain, which by being done in this Way it can be steamed andbended into hoops without peeling or splitting the grain of the hoopsapart, as would be the case if the wood or hoops were rounded or planedacross the grain.

The speed of the cutters should'be about twenty-five hundred revolutionsper minute for ordinary Work.

I do not claim revolving'cutter heads for dressing lumber, as they havebeen known and used. Neither do I claim stationary feed rolls as such,for they have also been known for planing boards and other straighttimber. I

I claim- The feed rolls Land K, the feed rolls I and J, and the cuttersand cutter heads C and D, when they are so constructed, ar-

ranged, and operated, as to round or finish, and shape the mast hoops,while passing the said cutters and ,rolls, which shape, round, or finishthem, parallel to the grain, the hoops being at liberty to take theirnatural course, excepting where they are held by the feed and frictionrolls, and where the cutter heads and cutters are operating to dressthem, essentially and for the purposes set forth. V r

. ELHANAN W, SCOTT. Witnesses: Y

VILLIAM A. RICHARDSON, Gno. STEVENS.

